Successes

                Some days you are overwhelmed with how blessed you are. And on other days, you look around and see how far they have gone. Some days you rejoice at small victories. Other days, you wish you had their success stories. Some days you smile at the beauty of the sunrise. Other days, you want to keep the sun from setting. Some days you savor the aroma of cup noodles. Other days, even a bountiful feast cannot satisfy. Some days long walks mean feeling the cool breeze tickle your arm. On other days, it is about taking that next step in the dark tunnel. Some days you are grateful for who you are. Other days, you wake up and ask why you are here.

                Sometimes I marvel at how cruel the world is… you know, how they tend to impose the same timelines on different people. Be single at 30, and they judge you are unhappy. Be on the road of waiting to be a mom at 35, and they ask what the problem is. Be a working mom, and they tell you you’ve robbed your child of quality time. Be a full-time homemaker, and you are envied to not be “doing anything”. (Which is not true, by the way! My mom is a full-time homemaker, and she never runs out of things to do!) Be a career woman, and they ask why you don’t have a family. It’s a pity too, how we have a mold of what success looks like and fit everyone into it.

                Last month, I was telling my husband, sometimes I look at my friends’ profiles and posts in social media, and realize that they have achieved so much. But here I am… There are actually days when I feel life was much simpler in the pre-social media era. You celebrate your birthday, sitting on the sofa, blowing out the candle, cutting the cake, and being surrounded by your family. If you’re lucky, you get a photo or two, after the film gets developed. You eat dinner at your favorite restaurant, enjoy the food and conversations with the people there with you. No smart phones, just smart conversations. You achieve something, your family rejoices, then you call a few people who care, and you celebrate. Now, you achieve something, you post on social media, you wait for the likes to validate your success. It’s a shame how we have made our lives the next reality TV show. Some days, we even need to post, just to fabricate the kind of happiness we want others to perceive.

                As 2020 started, I have been seeing many friends posting beautiful shots of rainbow sightings. I have started my “Read the Bible thru in a Year” plan again. I went back to school, back to teaching and loving the kids that the Lord entrusted to me. I started sending notes of encouragement and gratitude to the people I value. I continued praying for people as I remember them. I started to appreciate more of what I have, spent more time with the people I value, shun temptation of looking for what I lack (I am a work in progress in this area, please be patient with me), and reflect more on how God answers prayers in His time, according to His purpose and will. I’m glad, He kept His promise to Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah, and a multitude of women who brought their hearts’ desire to Him. One thing that I find even more comforting – this God is our God, my God!

                As we turn the pages of this new book we are holding, let’s look to our faithful Promise Keeper. I pray that we all keep our eyes on Him, and be grateful for the success that comes in all sizes and shapes this year. After all, our God is faithful, from now until forever. “Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You have established the earth, and it stands fast.” Psalm 119:90 

*Special thanks to one of the young ladies from my small group who never fails to encourage me and affirm me of my worth in the Father’s eyes, Ruth de Gula, for the beautiful photo which prompted me to come up with this blog post.